"How long were you in labor"

OrangeSmoke

Does that mean how long it was from your water breaking/first contraction to when you were ready to push?  Or does pushing time count? 

Just want to clarify since my water breaking to pushing time is equal to how long I pushed (both 4 hours) so I never know how to answer that question.

 

schmoodle

I didn't ask teh question but I would guess that labor time = start of labor to birth. Pushing time = a component of total labor time.

And wow for 4 hours of pushing!!!

pinkcallalily

I never know the answer to it either.  If we are talking start of 1st contraction until he was born, it was around 36 hours, but I was able to sleep & work through the contractions for the first 20 hours or so.  From the time we went to the hospital until he was born was around 12 hours.  My labor didn't really "build up" at all, I went from very random, mild contractions to 90 seconds apart and painful very suddenly.  I just change my answer depending on who I'm talking to and what answer I think they are looking for.

Mouseygail

4 hours!?  yikes!  although I guess you had to do it two times, huh?  poor girl! you must have been EXHAUSTED!

I was assuming that it meant, from when you first "knew" that you were in labor..ie steady contractions or water breaking, whatever happened first I guess!

emmyloustu

My water broke and then I began having contractions, so I count my labor from when my water broke until delivery. Pushing time being the last 2 1/2 hours of labor.

OrangeSmoke

Mouseygail:

4 hours!?  yikes!  although I guess you had to do it two times, huh?  poor girl! you must have been EXHAUSTED!

I was assuming that it meant, from when you first "knew" that you were in labor..ie steady contractions or water breaking, whatever happened first I guess!

Oh no, I didn't do it 2 times.  I pushed for 4 hours and NO ONE showed up for the party!  I called it quits after 4 hours with 2 babies still inside and got myself a c/s.

 

ladychicago

For me, my water broke about 5 seconds after a painful contraction woke me up. So I count that as my start time. Otherwise, I would start it based on when first started having time able contractions.

Mouseygail

OrangeSmoke:

Mouseygail:

4 hours!?  yikes!  although I guess you had to do it two times, huh?  poor girl! you must have been EXHAUSTED!

I was assuming that it meant, from when you first "knew" that you were in labor..ie steady contractions or water breaking, whatever happened first I guess!

Oh no, I didn't do it 2 times.  I pushed for 4 hours and NO ONE showed up for the party!  I called it quits after 4 hours with 2 babies still inside and got myself a c/s.

 

  wtf!?!  that's even worse!!  you poor girl!!

OrangeSmoke

Mouseygail:

OrangeSmoke:

Mouseygail:

4 hours!?  yikes!  although I guess you had to do it two times, huh?  poor girl! you must have been EXHAUSTED!

I was assuming that it meant, from when you first "knew" that you were in labor..ie steady contractions or water breaking, whatever happened first I guess!

Oh no, I didn't do it 2 times.  I pushed for 4 hours and NO ONE showed up for the party!  I called it quits after 4 hours with 2 babies still inside and got myself a c/s.

 

  wtf!?!  that's even worse!!  you poor girl!!

Oh yeah, still bitter over here.  Next time (if there is a next time), it's a schedule c/s all the way.

The theory was that Baby A (Harry)'s shoulders somehow got wedged with baby B (alex)'s head so he couldn't progress down.  Ugh, I still get mad thinking about it.

 

 

Cajun_gal

Oh my, 4 hours!?  I want to pass out just thinking about that!

I consider pushing time in with labor. 

Cajun_gal

OrangeSmoke:

Mouseygail:

OrangeSmoke:

Mouseygail:

4 hours!?  yikes!  although I guess you had to do it two times, huh?  poor girl! you must have been EXHAUSTED!

I was assuming that it meant, from when you first "knew" that you were in labor..ie steady contractions or water breaking, whatever happened first I guess!

Oh no, I didn't do it 2 times.  I pushed for 4 hours and NO ONE showed up for the party!  I called it quits after 4 hours with 2 babies still inside and got myself a c/s.

 

  wtf!?!  that's even worse!!  you poor girl!!

Oh yeah, still bitter over here.  Next time (if there is a next time), it's a schedule c/s all the way.

The theory was that Baby A (Harry)'s shoulders somehow got wedged with baby B (alex)'s head so he couldn't progress down.  Ugh, I still get mad thinking about it.

 

 

Wow, I bet.  That's just awful! 

ladychicago

ladychicago:

For me, my water broke about 5 seconds after a painful contraction woke me up. So I count that as my start time. Otherwise, I would start it based on when first started having time able contractions.

Oh my, clearly I didn't read the question. I count pushing time for sure! That is a key part of labor! You earn that time.

perry7285

i never know how to answer that either! my water broke at 7 a.m. but it took until noonish to get the contractions going with pitocin. i usually count from the beginning of contractions until the baby being born, since sitting around waiting for contractions to start wasn't very laborious.

and four hours of pushing--WOW! you're one tough woman!